Biden says filibuster on Alito unlikely

Washington Times ^ | 11/07/05 | Charles Hurt

[conservative in nyc]

Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. said yesterday that he expects an up-or-down vote by the full Senate on the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr., without the parliamentary blockades that Democrats used against 10 of President Bush's appellate court nominees.

The Delaware senator and longtime Senate Judiciary Committee member becomes the latest Democrat to indicate that a filibuster of the judge's nomination is unlikely, although he spoke even as one of the nation's leading liberal groups began its air war against Judge Alito.

Asked whether Democrats would commit to the up-or-down vote, Mr. Biden said on ABC's "This Week": "Well, my instinct is we should commit."

He cautioned that nothing could be certain "until the bulk of us" Democrats have met Judge Alito, "but I think the probability is that [a vote] will happen."

Mr. Biden, whose state is in the 3rd U.S. Circuit, where Judge Alito has served for 15 years, said he doesn't know whether he will support the nominee, although he added that while Judge Alito is conservative, he has heard mainly good things about the judge.

But People for the American Way doesn't need more information to oppose Judge Alito. The liberal group had long ago studied Judge Alito's record and denounced him the day he was nominated.

Yesterday, the group began airing its first ad on the nomination, which debuted during NBC's "Meet the Press."

But instead of attacking Judge Alito directly, it focuses on the failed nomination of White House counsel Harriet Miers, who was withdrawn because of dissatisfaction by conservatives.

[conservative in nyc]

Chuck Schumer and Ted Kennedy must be deeply, deeply saddened.

[Spktyr]

Sounds like they shot their wad on Miers and are conserving what little political capital they have left for something "more important."

[HiTech RedNeck]

What wad? They said virtually nothing about her while letting the Repubbies self destruct.

[Choose Ye This Day]

Did I hear correctly earlier? Are Alito's confirmation hearings not starting until January?

[Simmy2.5]

You can add Boxer to that mix.

All they could do is delay, nothing more. Woohoo!

[DoughtyOne]

A comment like this, at this time means nothing.

What it provides is background if the Dems decide to play hardball in January.

If they do they can remind folks of comments like this, and say that they wanted to reach out to Republicans, but what they found was too damning to go ahead with the process.

I'll beleive this comment after Alito has sworn in.

[RWR8189]

A good strategic move by the Democrats.

If Stevens or Ginsberg retires (by choice or otherwise) I doubt we could corral the RINOs in line to go nuclear.

[Tall_Texan]

Ironically, I think they would have geared up more to stop Miers than Alito because Miers had nothing to commend her for the job other than Bush chose her. Being a stealth nominee was going to be harder for the Dem base to accept a pass from their senators than a known entity like Alito.

Alito has already gone through confirmation and passed so the Dem senators can say "we know what we have". They know they don't have the votes to stop him without peeling off some RINOs so they are going to back down rather than risk nuclear disarmament over him.

[tom h]

"Biden says filibuster on Alito unlikely

Sounds like they shot their wad on Miers and are conserving what little political capital they have left for something "more important."

Yeah ... like the replacement for Justice Stevens (85 years old) or Justice Ginsburg (already looks corpselike) in the next 3 years.

[Always Right]

What wad? They said virtually nothing about her while letting the Repubbies self destruct.

Self-destruct?? I missed that. It was more like a regrouping. Miers getting out was the best thing that happnened to the GOP in ages.

[conservativecorner]

You just know the demoncrats hate the news BUMP!!

[Cboldt]

Did I hear correctly earlier? Are Alito's confirmation hearings not starting until January?

Yep. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1515161/posts

There are others threads on the subject, as well.

[Cboldt]

Being a stealth nominee was going to be harder for the Dem base to accept a pass from their senators than a known entity like Alito. Alito has already g

Stealth has serious baggage of its own right, and some good Republicans object to the use of stealth, per se.

[R.W.Ratikal]

Biden said that a filabuster of Alito is unlikely. Big deal. Democrats lie with some precision. Besides, Biden will not make the decision, it will be made by the so-called "gang of fourteen" a group of leftists passing themselves off as "moderates."

Definition of a Moderate: "A far-leftist out of ammunition."

[conservative in nyc]

Joe Biden, the plagiarist, lies?

Well, if someone who's not in the gang of fourteen thinks there will likely be no filibuster, there will likely be no filibuster, assuming the Democrats don't "learn" something new about Alito. From the DNC talking points, it looks like they have already done their research. But they have until January to dig up some dirt.